Always
by MINDFREAK23
Summary: With the flashbacks fresh in his mind, he hugs her closer to himself for a moment, and after kissing her on the neck whispers "I'll tell you later. We'll always have the time." Also, sorry to anyone who was expecting a follow up - I forgot to click complete. I have a rule that I will never post incomplete stories. Sorry again.


Okay, wow... Really surprised at how long this became... Was barely expecting it to be a page... This is more like 3... 8Q_... I did my best with Dumbledore, I know that's probably nothing like what he would say for the most part, but... Well... I'm no Dumbledore

* * *

3 generations, pureblood, half-blood, muggleborn, all in the same place. Hagrid, his hair now streaked with white, the dozen seats behind him and Olympe empty because, despite their age, they hadn't shrunk in stature. Neville (with the Sword of Gryffindor strapped across his back) and Hannah, sitting next to Luna and Rolf, watching on cheerfully. A sea of red hair watching intently, with Arthur's dismay at Rose marrying a pureblood replaced with the joy of seeing Rose get married.  
In the front row Harry and Ginny sit with Hermione, each of them praying: Harry that Ron won't start anything with Draco later; Ginny that James will refrain from any immature jokes or pranks he may have dreamt up for the occasion; Hermione that she won't have to step in after Ron and Draco have a few drinks later on. Next to Hermione sit her parents, their memories fully restored, their knowledge of the magical world as complete as it might be.  
Alongside them sit Lucius, whose hair is now long faded, Narcissa, who seems to have lost the bad smell from all those years ago, and Draco, trying his best to keep from laughing at the irony of the events soon to transpire, his arm around Astoria.

The music begins to play, and all eyes fall upon the ever changing hair of the young flower girl leading Ron (who is unsuccessfully trying to hide his scowl) and a beaming Rose to the altar, where Albus stands as best man for Scorpius, James and Teddy his groomsmen.  
James' eyes connect with his mother's, and the potential for murder in her eyes quickly dampens any thoughts he might have had of mischief. Harry's eyes connect with Lily's, and he feels a slight pang of sadness that his mother isn't able to sit with him and watch this. Lily Luna, recognising this, mouths to Harry the words "She's around here somewhere..." Harry chuckles at this, but stops after a sharp elbow to the side from Ginny. Lily Luna can barely keep her composure. Victoire slips her a sideways look, and whispers in Lily's ear "Keep it for later, everyone's watching us up here you idiot" as the 4 Hogwarts house ghosts fly by, and take their places either side of the altar.  
Rose and Ron finally reach the altar, and in a low voice the school portrait of Albus Dumbledore tells Ron "She's like her mother. You couldn't have stopped this if you tried. Just be happy. Today Rose gets married." Ron takes a breath, and, using the Deluminator Dumbledore gave him all those years ago, dims the lights of the Great Hall. Dumbledore starts the ceremony.  
"We all know why we're gathered here, so I won't bother with that. Never, all those years ago, did I ever dream I'd see anything like this. Never did I believe I'd even see you and Hermione marry, Ron. But I did, and I'm happier for it. Now we come to today. Rose Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy... Not the most likely of pairings, but I'm glad your families finally have a uniting factor. It's obvious that neither you nor Rose will object to this Scorpius, and I get the feeling that if either of your fathers tried to object today they may not live past today. Having said that, Rose, you take Scorpius to be your husband for the rest of your days on this wondrous world, yes?"  
With a tear in her eye, Rose replies "Yes." Dumbledore's eyes twinkle as they have done so many times before.  
"And Scorpius, do you take Rose to be your wife for as long as you both live?"  
Scorpius takes a breath, and looks around the Great Hall, from the Centaurs, to the Hogwarts ghosts, to the house elves standing to the sides of the crowd, to his family and soon to be extended family, and to the portraits of the Headmasters hung behind the wonderful altar that Hermione conjured for the occasion.  
Albus Severus puts his hand on Scorpius' shoulder, and, looking straight into the eyes of the portrait of Severus Snape, utters the word that only he and 5 other people, and 2 of the Headmaster portraits will understand.  
"Always."  
Stunned, Harry, Ron and Hermione simultaneously begin to cry silently. Snape's eyes sparkle, and the smile on his face is one of the first genuinely happy smiles any living wizard has seen from Severus Snape for a long time.  
Wiping a tear from his eye, Albus Dumbledore clears his throat.  
"Then I pronounce you husband and wife."  
As the newlyweds kiss, cheers erupt from the house elves, the Centaurs stamp their hooves and clap, and the wizardfolk present applaud.  
With tears streaming down his face, Ron finally understands. And it only took one word.  
Hugging each other, Rose asks Scorpius "Why on earth did you saying always get such a strong reaction out of my parents and Harry and Ginny?"

Scorpius smiles as he thinks back to when he first became friends with Albus Severus, and the first night he caught Albus sneaking out of the dormitory. Sighing, he tells Scorpius to come with him. Scorpius had nearly fainted when Albus led him to the Headmaster's office... but he nearly had a heart attack when Albus actually gave the correct password to get in. "What the hell are you doing!?" Albus flashed a grin "I'm going to borrow my namesake." Albus walked in and came out a couple of minutes later with the empty portrait of Severus Snape.  
"He'll come back to the portrait when I get it back to the dorm, he hates the way he gets knocked around when I carry him."  
Wide-eyed, Scorpius followed Albus back to the dormitory, wondering just what the punishment was for kidnapping a Headmaster. Back at the dormitory Albus set the portrait down, and shortly after the imposing figure of Severus Snape re-entered the frame. "Hello Albus. And you..." Snape locked eyes with Scorpius. "You must be Draco's son. You look very much like your father. I'm pleasantly surprised to see a Malfoy not in Slytherin House. Did your father give you much grief about it?"  
Scorpius grinned at the thought, "Yes, he did."  
The three of them talked until the candles burnt right down, and, reluctantly the two boys gently carried the portrait back to the Headmaster's office - with Scorpius' help, it was no longer necessary for Snape to leave the frame.  
Scorpius and Albus made a habit of waking each other most nights to hear Snape's stories of his time as both student and Professor at Hogwarts, his love of Albus' grandmother (which very frequently led to Snape commenting on Albus having her eyes), and the mischief he would find both boys' fathers getting up to in their time at the school.  
He would help the boys with their homework, their problems in class and at home (it was for this reason that Scorpius was so determined to stand up to Ron on his relationship with Rose - he wanted to be able to tell her everyday he would always love her), and before long "Always" became the way Snape said goodbye to the boys.

"Scorpius?" He suddenly remembers that he's still hugging Rose. "Hmm?" "Why did you saying always make them so emotional?"  
With the flashbacks fresh in his mind, he hugs her closer to himself for a moment, and after kissing her on the neck whispers "I'll tell you later. We'll always have the time."


End file.
